Major League Soccer releases weekly preview and notes

Philadelphia Union made sure the opening of PPL Park would be one to remember, getting two late goals for a 3-1 victory against Seattle Sounders FC. MLS Player of the Week Juan Pablo Angel kept the New York Red Bulls tied with the Columbus Crew atop the Eastern Conference with two goals and an assist in a 3-0 win vs. Kansas City. In the West, Real Salt Lake extended their club-record unbeaten streak to eight games in a scoreless draw with San Jose, remaining in second place in the West behind the LA Galaxy, who also played to a scoreless draw at Toronto. For all the highlights of Week 13, click here.

MLS All-Star Game voting

Voting is now underway for the 2010 AT&T MLS All-Star First XI. One-fourth of the total vote will come from each of the following groups: fans, players, coaches and general managers, and media members. Balloting will continue until July 6.

The 15th annual midsummer showcase will match the MLS All-Stars against 2009 English Premier League champion Manchester United at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

U.S. Open Cup third round

Seattle Sounders FC begin defense of the Dewar Trophy this week when eight MLS teams begin play in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. Six MLS teams automatically qualified based on their 2009 league finishes; two teams, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, survived a series of play-in matches to advance to the 16-team third round. The third round schedule:

“When I was walking onto the bus to get to the game I said I’d never been this bummed out going to a game.”

— Los Angeles Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant, to the Toronto Star, after the U.S. national team’s World Cup elimination

“Home field is definitely a big advantage for us. I knew it was going to be a very good game, especially because we were going to be in front of our fans. It was like extra motivation for all of us. To win that game for them for the first time in our new stadium, it was just the best feeling.”

“Our goals against is not even close to where we’d like it. Usually you figure if you’re close to one a game by the end of the year, you’re in a good spot. I don’t think we’re close to that right now.”

— Toronto FC tied their club record by extending their current unbeaten streak in league play to six games. TFC is undefeated in their last nine games in all competitions.

— Toronto FC have played to scoreless draws in back-to-back games for the first time in club history.

— After a day of unrest in the city of Toronto with the G-20 Summit – road closures and subway and train disruptions meant many fans were simply unable to get to BMO Field for Saturday’s game – the club will offer free tickets for another match to those patrons who couldn’t attend.

— The Dynamo put an end to their three-game losing streak in the weekend draw with Colorado, but still allowed two or more goals for the fifth time in six games. The league’s defensive leader two of the last three seasons, the Dynamo have allowed the third-most goals in MLS (24).

— The Dynamo have never won at BMO Field. Toronto FC won their first home meeting with Houston; the teams have played to 1-1 draws both of the last two years.

— Real Salt Lake posted a third consecutive shutout in the draw with San Jose, extending the club’s goalless mark to 318 minutes – second-longest in RSL history. The club record is 355 minutes, set in 2008.

— Even though Real extended their club-record unbeaten streak to eight games and have gone 18 MLS games at Rio Tinto Stadium without a loss, RSL manager Jason Kreis rued the club’s complacency.

— The teams have played to five consecutive league draws during the past two seasons. The last team to win in regular season play was Chicago, a 1-0 victory at Columbus on Sept. 8, 2007.

— The Fire are hoping two starting midfielders will be able to overcome injuries suffered during the weekend. Justin Mapp was a late scratch from the starting lineup with a quadriceps injury, while Baggio Husidic had to come off in the first half after taking a knock to his right ankle.

Kansas City Wizards at FC Dallas, 5:30 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick package)

— After scoring five goals in six games in the month of May, FC Dallas scored two goals in each of their two games in June, both victories.

— Honduran international Marvin Chavez made his first MLS start for FC Dallas, playing a wide right-sided midfield role as Atiba Harris replace Jeff Cunningham as the lone striker.

— Following back-to-back shutouts, the Wizards saw their shutout streak come to a quick end as New York scored three second-half goals. Kansas City has conceded multiple goals in five of its last eight games.

— FC Dallas recorded its largest victory in club history last season when it beat Kansa City 6-0 atPizza Hut Park It topped another big win against the Wizards, a 5-0 drubbing July 10, 1999 at the Cotton Bowl.

D.C. United at San Jose Earthquakes, 7 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick package)

— Jon Busch made the start in goal for San Jose in the scoreless draw vs. Real Salt Lake, his first league start since the Earthquakes signed him at the start of the season. Joe Cannon had made 69 starts in the Quakes’ 71 games since the club returned to the league in 2008.

— The Quakes recorded their sixth shutout of the season – and fifth in the last eight games – in the draw at Salt Lake. San Jose had conceded seven goals in the final three games before the World Cup recess.

— United saw their four-game unbeaten streak in all competitions come to an end in the loss at Columbus. D.C. had won two of its last three league games (with one draw), along with an Open Cup match.

— D.C. United has gone 13 games this season with(out?) scoring one goal. United have been shut out nine times, scored two goals on two occasions, and scored three goals twice.

— Chivas USA saw their losing streak extended to six games, setting a club record. Three of the game-winning goals have come in the final minute or stoppage time, and now three have come via penalty kicks.

— Philadelphia Union became the fifth team to inaugurate their new stadium with a victory,when they opened PPL Park, the ninth soccer-specific stadium in MLS, this weekend, joining the New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids.

— El Salvador international Osael Romero made his first start since April 1, replacing Sacha Kljestan in the playmaking role for Chivas USA, and scored his first MLS goal against FC Dallas.

— The Red Bulls’ 3-0 win in Kansas City was their biggest road victory since Aug. 10, 2005 when theywon 3-0 at D.C. United.

— Salou Ibrahim made his first start for the Red Bulls since May 15, and he and Juan Pablo Angel combined for all three goals vs. Kansas City.

— A year ago, the Rapids lost 2-1 to Chicago in the annual Independence Day extravaganza – just the second loss in 14 games all-time in Colorado on July 4. The annual fireworks display, billed as the best in Colorado, always draws large crowds who spur the team to perform: Eight times the game-winning goal has come in the 69th minute or later.

— The Rapids have defeated New York 4-0 on both of their last two visits to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, including a July 4 meeting in 2008..

Seattle Sounders FC at LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick package)

— It’s the second meeting of the season between the clubs, after the Galaxy rolled to an imperious 4-0 victory May 15 at Qwest Field. Landon Donovan set up LA’s first three goals and scored the final one.

— The Galaxy are expected to have Donovan and Edson Buddle back after completing their competition in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the U.S.

— The Galaxy were shut out in back-to-back games for the first time this season with the scoreless draw at Toronto FC. They have only allowed four goals on the season.

— Sounders FC still have yet to convert a penalty kick in league play in club history, after Pat Noonan’s attempt was stopped by Philadelphia’s Chris Seitz. It was Seattle’s first penalty this season; Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero were both unsuccessful in the club’s inaugural season.